NHL Tables new proposal - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Antikarma · 03-17-2005, 01:08 PM

Linkedy link link from CBC

So there we have it, will be interesting to see what the reaction from the NHLPA is. It should be noted that this story has no details on rookie caps or free agency ages, but I suppose that if they can agree on a number for a salary cap, all else will fall into place.

Thoughts? Think its time to get our hopes up yet?

Sue · 03-17-2005, 02:05 PM

Here's the stort in case anyone doesn't wanna click

Quote:

The NHL and the Players' Association broke off labour discussions after a 2 ½ hour meeting Thursday morning in New York, but not before the league tabled two new proposals.

One offer included a $37.5-million US team salary cap with no "linkage," while the other proposal capped player costs at 54 per cent of league revenues. The $37.5-million cap is $5 million less than the final offer the league offered last month before officially cancelling the season.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Bob Goodenow attended the meeting. Also in attendance were union senior director Ted Saskin, league executive vice president and chief legal officer Bill Daly, and outside counsel for both sides.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Goodenow released a statement saying the union is considering its next course of action after the league tabled two proposals.

"Today, Gary gave us two salary cap proposals. Both proposals were very similar to ones that we previously rejected several times. We will be determining our next steps and responding at the appropriate time," read the statement.

Daly briefly outlined the league's proposals in a released statement.

"The first proposal was based on the 'de-linked' salary cap framework that was on the table when the season was cancelled in mid-February," Daly said in the statement.

"We indicated that to the extent this was a framework that the union remained interested in pursuing, the league would be prepared to continue negotiations – provided an agreement could be achieved within the next several weeks.

"Alternatively, we proposed a negotiated relationship between total player compensation and league-wide revenues, which we made clear was our preference."

The two sides met last Friday in Toronto for 90 minutes and held informal talks over the current lockout before agreeing to meet again this week. It appears, however, the NHL has formed a backup plan in case this round of talks doesn't prove fruitful.

A league source told the Canadian Press that the NHL has called a board of governors meeting for April 20 where the issue of using replacement players will be examined.

"It would be to discuss results of homework assignments clubs were all given, and to make some decisions," said the source.

The two sides have struggled to find common ground on a new deal since the players were locked out last Sept. 15 by Bettman, who officially cancelled the 2004-05 season on Feb. 16.

By doing so, the NHL became the first of North America's four major professional team sports to junk a full season because of a labour dispute.

Next to go by the wayside could be the June entry draft at Ottawa, something the NHL is anxious to salvage by cutting a deal. Rimouski Oceanic forward Sidney Crosby is currently rated the top prospect.

Crosby leads the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in scoring with 163 points (65 goals, 98 assists) in 60 games.

fwiw, I hate the fact that everything's about friggin money. What the hell happened to the fans, the love of the game? It's all been forgotten and lost

Glory's Sun · 03-17-2005, 02:16 PM

the fans are still here.. I think they should get paid more than they currently do but I agree that they should just suck it up and play until things get better. I'm interested to see how things rebound when they do play again. I think the difference between this and the baseball strike is that #1 not as much money is on the table #2 fans are more loyal to hockey #3the fans tend to sympathize with the players.

thatoneguy · 03-17-2005, 02:43 PM

I don't know if the fans tend to sympathize with the players, I know I certainly don't. Even under a new salary cap-based CBA, they'd still make millions of dollars. This isn't like the NFL where teams would spend $100 if they could but are held back by the cap. In the NHL, half the teams can't afford to have salaries of $50 or even $40 million a year. The PA needs to realize that they're never going to win... the owners obviously aren't going to blink, they already cancelled one season, I doubt they'll give in now.

I just feel like the players are being selfish and aren't doing what's good for the game of hockey. If salaries continue the way they are heading, the league will have to start folding teams or have a two-tiered league with the teams who can afford to pay a lot of money and those who can't. I have no problem with a salary cap, and I think it wouldn't be as dramatic as the PA likes to claim.

I want hockey to come back, I don't care who "wins" I don't care who is bitter, I just want the NHL back. This whole lockout is going to hurt the game more than anything that could've happened with a salary cap or high salaries. It's getting to the point where sometimes I wonder if there ever WILL be an NHL again.

00111000 · 03-17-2005, 03:28 PM

No hockey makes 8 sad.

rival · 03-17-2005, 09:26 PM

Quote:

#3the fans tend to sympathize with the players.

Not this fan. The idea of a union came about when people were making less a dollar a day working in conditions that would often result in death and/or the loss of difficult to replace body parts. People working in an field that has an average salary of around a million dollars and an entire medical team looking after their interests do not need a union.

The NHLPA is going to crack hard before this is over. The only leverage they had was the feeling the NHL would never cancel an entire season. They were under the impression that their services were so vital to the NHL, that the NHL would have no choice but to bend. That didn't happen.

With or without replacement players, I can't wait for the NHL to start back up. I have to drive to Wheeling, WV if I want to see pro hockey right now. I hate going into WV, it gives me the creeps.

odu_sonar_AE · 04-05-2005, 10:27 AM

There is no way I sympathize with the players, and I find it hard to do the same with the owners. Both parties created this mess, and only one side wants to admit it.

I believe in a union environment to keep the “suits” in check. I have worked in a manufacturing environment with a union, and done properly, the union is a powerful tool.

The owners did a big part to bring this on themselves. I remember when the Rangers submitted an insane contract proposal to Joe Sakic, knowing Colorado was trying to re-sign him. The Rangers did this to prevent the Avalanche from signing anymore free agents that year. Colorado had no choice but to match the ridiculous (at the time) amount.

The NHLPA, of course, loved this as it meant more $$ in their coffers. Add in the fact that UFA contracts are routinely based on getting more $ than what someone deemed comparable just got, and the NHLPA is really sitting happy. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that the way contracts are going, it is going to bleed to league dry. Smaller market teams can’t compete with teams like Colorado, Detroit, Philly (I love the fact that the NY Rangers have such a lrge payroll, and can’t make it into the playoffs), even though two smaller market teams were in the Stanley Cup finals (this is definitely not the norm). Families can’t afford to go to games (this used to not be the case).

I am a die-hard hockey fan. My team (the Pittsburgh Penguins) needs a good CBA to help stay in the ‘burgh. I would love for someone from the players’ side to realize that they are getting a decent amount of money for playing a game.

Until then, I’m just going to have to settle on watching the local AHL team – The Norfolk Admirals.

03-17-2005, 01:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
Antikarma Psycho Location: Yellowknife, NWT	NHL Tables new proposal Linkedy link link from CBC So there we have it, will be interesting to see what the reaction from the NHLPA is. It should be noted that this story has no details on rookie caps or free agency ages, but I suppose that if they can agree on a number for a salary cap, all else will fall into place. Thoughts? Think its time to get our hopes up yet? __________________ "Whoever you are, go out into the evening, leaving your room, of which you know each bit; your house is the last before the infinite, whoever you are."

03-17-2005, 02:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
thatoneguy Crazy Location: Omaha, NE	I don't know if the fans tend to sympathize with the players, I know I certainly don't. Even under a new salary cap-based CBA, they'd still make millions of dollars. This isn't like the NFL where teams would spend $100 if they could but are held back by the cap. In the NHL, half the teams can't afford to have salaries of $50 or even $40 million a year. The PA needs to realize that they're never going to win... the owners obviously aren't going to blink, they already cancelled one season, I doubt they'll give in now. I just feel like the players are being selfish and aren't doing what's good for the game of hockey. If salaries continue the way they are heading, the league will have to start folding teams or have a two-tiered league with the teams who can afford to pay a lot of money and those who can't. I have no problem with a salary cap, and I think it wouldn't be as dramatic as the PA likes to claim. I want hockey to come back, I don't care who "wins" I don't care who is bitter, I just want the NHL back. This whole lockout is going to hurt the game more than anything that could've happened with a salary cap or high salaries. It's getting to the point where sometimes I wonder if there ever WILL be an NHL again. __________________ "Thank you for flying Church of England, cake or death?"

03-17-2005, 03:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
00111000 Psycho Location: Mostly standing in a blue semi-circle	No hockey makes 8 sad. __________________ - And so he says, 'I don't like the cut of your jib.' And I go I says, IT'S THE ONLY JIB I GOT, BABY! -

03-17-2005, 02:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
Glory's Sun Registered User	the fans are still here.. I think they should get paid more than they currently do but I agree that they should just suck it up and play until things get better. I'm interested to see how things rebound when they do play again. I think the difference between this and the baseball strike is that #1 not as much money is on the table #2 fans are more loyal to hockey #3the fans tend to sympathize with the players.

04-05-2005, 10:27 AM	#7 (permalink)
odu_sonar_AE Tilted	There is no way I sympathize with the players, and I find it hard to do the same with the owners. Both parties created this mess, and only one side wants to admit it. I believe in a union environment to keep the “suits” in check. I have worked in a manufacturing environment with a union, and done properly, the union is a powerful tool. The owners did a big part to bring this on themselves. I remember when the Rangers submitted an insane contract proposal to Joe Sakic, knowing Colorado was trying to re-sign him. The Rangers did this to prevent the Avalanche from signing anymore free agents that year. Colorado had no choice but to match the ridiculous (at the time) amount. The NHLPA, of course, loved this as it meant more $$ in their coffers. Add in the fact that UFA contracts are routinely based on getting more $ than what someone deemed comparable just got, and the NHLPA is really sitting happy. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that the way contracts are going, it is going to bleed to league dry. Smaller market teams can’t compete with teams like Colorado, Detroit, Philly (I love the fact that the NY Rangers have such a lrge payroll, and can’t make it into the playoffs), even though two smaller market teams were in the Stanley Cup finals (this is definitely not the norm). Families can’t afford to go to games (this used to not be the case). I am a die-hard hockey fan. My team (the Pittsburgh Penguins) needs a good CBA to help stay in the ‘burgh. I would love for someone from the players’ side to realize that they are getting a decent amount of money for playing a game. Until then, I’m just going to have to settle on watching the local AHL team – The Norfolk Admirals.